WILLIAMSVILLE, N.Y. — While doing an excellent job on customers’ dry cleaning is crucial for repeat business and long-term success, there’s an added element that cleaners and their staff must address.

“Seventy percent of customers return based on how they feel, and not necessarily based on how awesome their clothes and their garments came out,” says Jen Whitmarsh of The Route Pros and Snappy Dry Cleaning. She recently conducted a webinar, “The Front Line Advantage: Elevating Everyday Service,” hosted by the Drycleaning & Laundry Institute (DLI).

This impression is the heart of what separates thriving drycleaning operations from those merely surviving, Whitmarsh says. After 20 years in the industry, she has learned that exceptional service isn’t about grand gestures — it’s about mastering the basics with unwavering consistency.

The day-to-day operations of running a drycleaning company can draw an owner’s focus away from what the customer experiences at their store, and this can be to the company’s detriment.

For customers, the staff members at the counter are truly the face of the organization, Whitmarsh believes: “If I’m at the front counter, I’m the one who’s going to make or break the customer’s journey.”

But this responsibility goes beyond the counter interaction. Whitmarsh encourages owners to step outside their stores and view their businesses from a customer’s perspective. 

“What does your landscaping look like?” she asks. “Are there dead plants at the front of your store? Are there dead plants in your plant box just because it’s a different season?”

These details matter, Whitmarsh says, because first impressions are permanent. 

“They don’t just last that one time, and then you get to rewrite history,” she says. “They are forever.”

One way to make the client’s visit to their dry cleaner more pleasurable is to be seen as an individual, rather than just another customer. 

Authentic personalization extends beyond using customers’ names, Whitmarsh says, and suggests genuine compliments as an effective approach.

“When you see garments coming through your front counter that you genuinely like or know are made really well, you can compliment that customer,” she says. “‘Oh my gosh, I just love this skirt.’ Often, their face just lights up when you do this.”

These moments matter because they transform routine transactions into personal connections. 

“To them, it might just be a piece that they dug out of the closet,” Whitmarsh says. “It’s not necessarily for a big life event — it’s an everyday piece. But then they get complimented on it and it really puts a smile on their face. You’ve added a little extra pep in their step.”

Whitmarsh’s system of excellent service rests on three fundamental pillars, beginning with warm greetings. While it’s a simple step, she’s witnessed countless failures in this basic area when visiting dry cleaners during her travels.

“I cannot even tell you how many times I’ve been greeted with, ‘What’s your last name? Your phone number?’ And it’s my first time there,” she says. “That first impression is a lasting impression.”

The solution starts with something very basic: smiling and putting the customer’s personal needs first.

“Your customers have no idea that you’ve got mounds of bags to detail, that you’re running behind, that you’re hot because it’s summer,” Whitmarsh says. “Our customers don’t need to know that. What they do know is they’ve got a $2,000 suit ready for their interview next week, and they came to you so you could press it to perfection.”

Using customers’ names represents another crucial element, and Whitmarsh suggests setting specific goals.

“Give yourself a goal of how many times you say the customer’s name in that interaction,” she says. “It might be two or three times to say ‘Mr. Smith.’ Give yourself a goal.”

Whitmarsh believes that companies should also establish clear protocols about formality levels — first names versus titles and last names — ensuring consistency across all staff interactions.

The second component of effective greetings involves efficiency without haste. When multiple customers arrive simultaneously, acknowledgment becomes key.

“If you’re in the middle of working with a customer and another customer comes in, you still need to greet them. Be efficient in that greeting process. ‘Hi, Miss Rodriguez. I’m so sorry. I’ll be right with you.’ They see that you’re with a customer. They know that you’re going to be right with them.”

This approach creates experiences that customers don’t receive elsewhere.

“Usually, they’re waiting in line because no one’s greeting them. When you can say ‘Hello, I’ll be right with you,’ it creates an experience that they’re not getting everywhere else.”

Whitmarsh’s final foundational principle centers on consistency, breeding confidence with front-counter staff. 

“The more consistent you can be, the better,” she says. “And you don’t have to reinvent the wheel. Pick a couple of standard conversation topics. Your consistency is going to increase your confidence and you’ll be able to do anything with ease.”

Whether discussing the weather or other safe topics, having reliable conversation starters eliminates the mental burden of constant improvisation while maintaining natural, engaging interactions.

Come back Thursday for Part 2 of this series, where we’ll examine advanced listening techniques and strategies for transforming difficult customers into loyal advocates.